#64: Probably it stinks

Thursday 9/26/24

I had a talk with a student this week because part of their prescreen process for the University of Michigan is to answer a prompt via a video response. There are 3 prompts to choose from and the one she chose is about a time you’ve gotten tough feedback and how did you handle it and apply it moving forward. Her answer revolved around “cold reads” and how she hadn’t encountered the need to do so until this particular story she was recounting. It made me think about cold reads and how to train to handle them!

Well, lucky you, I developed a 9 Step Technique I call “Fearless Cold Reads”. 

WHAT IS A COLD READ?

The cold reading is simply a scene (usually from the show you are auditioning for) that you are asked to read at the audition. Sometimes you are given a chance to look over the scene while you are waiting for your turn to audition, and sometimes it is given to you right in the audition itself.

Occasionally, this can apply to music as well.

Doing a cold read audition is a lot like getting thrown into a pool when you haven’t yet learned how to swim.
You haven’t had much time to prepare, to learn your lines, to develop your character, to understand the story.
Yet, into the pool you go. Sink or swim, it’s all on you.

Here are my 9 steps to a successful cold read audition/callback.

#1 TAKE YOUR TIME

Don't Be Afraid to TAKE YOUR TIME.
You will most likely get a few minutes to look over the scene. TAKE THEM. READ THE SCENE ALL THE WAY THROUGH. Don’t only look at your lines if it is a scene. You need to know what the hell is happening in the entire piece.

Don't try to memorize. Just get a handle on the basics of what is happening. Fold corners to create smooth flip if needed. ANTICIPATE!

#2 REMEMBER THE BASICS

Speak slowly, clearly, loudly. Clues in script.

Moment of discovery/realization

Hold script at chest level, not near your face. If you need an accommodation, ask.   

Even if it falls apart - TAKE YOUR TIME.

#3 MEMORIZE?

This is NOT TO TEST HOW FAST YOU MEMORIZE.

Focus on the end of your scene partners lines and then look at your paper that way you stay engaged.
Look at them/up as much as you can.

Try to memorize 1st and last lines as they normally have the most impact.

GRAB N GO technique - grab what you can and look up

THUMB- keep your thumb or finger of your choosing between pages so create ease of page turns

#4 LISTENING/CHOICES

Take any direction given to you. Listen with ears AND eyes.

Big/bold assumptions & choices. Making no choices is worse than making "wrong" ones.

Let them know you are willing to take risks, play, & try.

#5 WORKING WITH READER/OTHERS

ACTOR: Use them as your scene partner. Observe their behavior and react to it. Move as you feel pulled to do so. Engage - protect their material.
Be a good partner. Elevate moment - even if you had another idea or interpretation.

READER: if engaged, great! look at them and act with them as they are seated. not engaged? no problem. Make choices but don't absorb their energy.

#6 GET IN THE WORLD

What is the physical world/emotional world? What has just happened? Where are you?

Take a moment to imagine your character’s surroundings, emotions, and relationships. These elements propel the narrative and allow it to come to life.

Similarly, be sure to consider scene context. A scene set in a noisy bar is vastly different from one set on an isolated Antarctic trek. While your character might be a lovable, egomaniac Dwight Schrute–type in both settings, each has different behavior.
Any ideas, events, and places brought up in a scene need to feel real to you in order to feel real to your audience. Think of how you behave differently in different contexts and use that to guide your character’s behavior.

#7 PHYSICAL LIFE

A COLD READ DOESN’T MEAN YOU NEED TO BE STIFF. WE COMMUNICATE WITH BODY LANGUAGE AS MUCH AS WITH VERBAL LANGUAGE—SO SMILE, CRY, WINK, OR MOVE YOUR BODY IF THE SCENE CALLS FOR IT. PRODUCERS CARE MORE ABOUT EXPERIENCING YOUR EMOTIONAL RANGE AS AN ACTOR THAN VERIFYING THAT EACH MOVEMENT PERFECTLY ALIGNS WITH THE SCRIPT. OF COURSE, KEEP IT WITHIN REASON.

#8 IT WON'T BE PERFECT

What happens when things go wrong? You miss a line? The reader talks over you? Your scene partner skips a large section of your lines?

BREATHE. RELAX. KEEP GOING. it's all good. keep going like you would in a show.

Things won't be perfect. It's best to be thinking ahead if you can and create less chaos for yourself.

#9 TRAIN TO COLD READ

This is a SKILL that will develop over time. Every time you do it, you get better.

Learn how YOU make quick choices. One of the best things you can do as an actor is learn how YOU learn quickly.

Use practice sides & scripts you've never seen before.

Look at the first line, quickly commit it to memory. Then look up and say the line aloud. Over time, you should be able to repeat larger sections simply at a glance.

PRACTICING DEMYSTIFIES THE EXPERIENCE.

Dreams Don’t Die

Julie